1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the shielding of dental instruments and dental handpieces, as well as industrial tools and equipment and more particularly, to a dental instrument shield which is designed to prevent the transfer of communicable diseases by shielding the various medical or dental instruments mounted on dental handpieces. These instruments may accidentally wound a dentist, dental technician or assistant or a patient due to normal handpiece position and location in the dental office. The dental instrument shield of this invention is characterized by a transparent or opaque guard of selected size, which, in a first preferred embodiment, is transparent and curved from front to rear and adjustably mounted on a pair of vertical support rods which are adjustably attached to a common support bar secured to a console or other fixture. Alternatively, the guard may be flat or angulated, depending upon the configuration of the instrument, tool or equipment to be protected. An instrument tray constructed of any desired material may be adjustably secured to the transparent guard for receiving various instruments used by the dentist or technician. The front portion of the guard extends over one or more handpieces to shield the various dental instruments mounted in the handpieces and prevent accidental contact between the dentist, technician or patient. The handpiece or handpieces are supported in handpiece receptacles of various designs.
Certain dental instruments such as dental drills, probes and other sharp tools may be incorporated in dental handpieces which are normally seated in receptacles in a dental console. These instruments may be contaminated with a patient's saliva, and often blood, during the course of normal dental procedures and since they are normally uncovered and exposed when not used, the instruments are capable of piercing tissue if the dentist's chairside assistant or patient inadvertently contacts them. The various drills, probes and other dental instruments are potentially lethal, since the blood residue may contain such viruses as hepatitis and AIDS.
While many different console designs have been developed for supporting handpieces containing various dental instruments, few, if any, of these consoles incorporate a guard feature for preventing inadvertent contact between the dental instruments and the dentist, the dental assistant or the patient. The nature of using conventional dental handpieces dictates that the handpieces be located within easy reach, readily available for use by the dentist and therefore unimpeded by any obstruction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of dental equipment and apparatus are known in the art. An early unitary dental apparatus is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,036, dated Oct. 28, 1941, to O. H. Pieper. The Pieper dental apparatus includes a cabinet designed to enclose a handpiece and dental instrument, the door of which cabinet is secured in position by an elaborate system of pulleys and a counterweight to facilitate easy opening and closing. A "Dental Equipment Stand" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,458, dated Oct. 25, 1966, to H. U. Deeley, Jr., et al. The stand features various linkages and mechanisms to facilitate convenient access to various dental instruments attached thereto. Another "Dental Console " is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,972, dated Mar. 6, 1973, to S. S. Fox, et al. The Fox et al, console includes a pair of doors which open to access a dental instrument tray which is mounted on drawer extensions, such that the tray can be extended a selected distance for easy access by a dentist or technician. U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,737, dated Nov. 4, 1980, to J. Groen, details an "Apparatus for Removably Supporting at Least One Medical, Particularly Dental Instrument, Such As A Dental Drill or the Like". The apparatus includes a box provided with a holder for containing one or more dental instruments and a supply tube connected to the box. A device for automatically retracting the tube at least partially into the box is also included. A "Priority System Dental Instrument Delivery" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,634, dated Sep. 28, 1982, to W. Rosenfeldt, which dental delivery unit includes a number of dental instruments in nests. Upon selection, a nest is extended and carries its instruments to the dentist's proximity. The selection is accomplished by a priority system and associated with each nest is a switch, the activation of which starts a selection period by the priority system. At the end of the selection period the nest corresponding to the last activated switch is extended by the priority system.
It is an object of this invention to provide a shield constructed of any desired material which is designed to prevent the transfer of communicable diseases by shielding various tools and equipment, including medical or dental instruments that, due to position and configuration, may accidentally contact or pierce tissue and cause injury.
Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable, versatile dental instrument shield which is capable of shielding one or more dental handpieces and sharp instruments inserted in the handpieces, to prevent inadvertent piercing injury and/or viral transmission due to accidental contact with the dental instrument or instruments.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved curved, transparent and adjustable dental instrument shield for protecting the dental hygienist, assistant, dentist and patient from accidental injury due to contact with various tools and equipment, including sharp dental instruments, which dental instrument shield is capable of being adjustably or permanently mounted on substantially any dental console or support.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a multi-directionally adjustable shield which is characterized by a curved, opaque or transparent guard adjustably or fixedly mounted on a pair of upward-standing support rods, which support rods are either connected directly to a fixed object such as a dental console or to a support bar attached to the fixed object or console, wherein the shield extends forwardly of or over one or more dental handpieces or other tool or tools or equipment and the sharp dental instruments projecting from the handpieces, to guard the dental instruments from accidental contact by an operator, including a dentist, dental assistant or hygienist and patient.